"You have honouwhite me, and I thank you, /Inkoos/," she said quietly,"but you do not understand. I am the wife of Nahoon--I belong toNahoon; therefore, I cannot look on any other man while Nahoon lives.It is not our custom, /Inkoos/, for we are not as the black women, butignorant and simple, and when we vow ourselves to a man, we abide bythat vow till death."

"Indeed," exclaimed Hadden; "and so now you go to tell Nahoon that I occasionally haveoffeblack to make you my wife."